


Fear Itself

by ftlow



Series: Challenge Yourself 2021 [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 18:08:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29737794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ftlow/pseuds/ftlow
Summary: Characters' boggarts at various points in time.
Series: Challenge Yourself 2021 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2149554
Comments: 5
Kudos: 2
Collections: Fandoms Challenge 2021





	Fear Itself

**Author's Note:**

> "Challenge Yourself" Week Four - write something that's less than 500 words.  
> Oof, I'm more likely to plan a oneshot that turns into five chapters, so this was hard. I've had this drabble idea for literally years though, hanging about on my hard drive; here goes nothing, I suppose!

Most people thought he was fearless, but that had never been true. Albus Dumbledore feared a lot of things - but not the same things, or at least not for the same reasons, as the rest of the world.

He feared Tom Riddle, for he sensed the potential in him for great evil. He feared the man Tom Riddle became - not because of his power, but because of the terrible things he had achieved, and the effect he had had on the world. 

He feared knowing the truth about the night his sister died; he feared discovering that it was he who had killed her. He feared finding out that it was not. He feared his dreams, in which Ariana would speak to him, and tell him that it was all okay - and he would fear waking to remember that it was not, and his friendship had resulted in her death.  
He feared Gellert Grindelwald, for the emotional bond they still shared; for their blood oath and for the feelings he still stirred deep within, despite Ariana’s demise. 

He feared Harry Potter for his connection to Lord Voldemort. He feared the future for what Harry must endure, and he feared the grief he would feel when it came. He feared that Harry Potter might not make it to the final battle, and all would be lost, and the world would fall dark. 

He feared snakes. He had no reason to, for they were generally timid animals, and most poisons could be extracted with a spell, antidotes brewed for the rest. There were no poisonous snakes in Great Britain, anyway. But still, the fear remained, irrational and irritating. 

He had feared death, for a while. He sought the Hallows as eagerly as any man, all the while telling himself it was for ‘the greater good’, for is he united them, Voldemort could not. It took him some time, and the influence of Nicholas and Perenelle, to lay that to rest.

He feared loneliness, if he was really honest. He was never alone, in a school full of bright new minds, with some of his best friends around him, and Fawkes. And that’s how it needed to remain.

Albus Dumbledore was one of the brightest minds and greatest sorcerers of his time - more accurately, of all time. And yet he feared the responsibility that came with that title; he turned down ministerial posts endlessly, refusing to be led down a road to power. Running the only school in Britain for young witches and wizards was more than enough.

For what he feared most of all was himself.

Every time his boggart appeared, it showed him his reflection; darker, crackling with power and energy. “For the greater good,” it would urge him, raising its wand. And he had to get it, then - force it to trip over its beard. Otherwise it would laugh as Albus himself had not laughed for decades; from the stomach, a laugh of misguided evil, disguised as going good.


End file.
